Quick access to emergency services providers via telephone, for example, by dialing “911”, greatly increases the chances of survival and reduces the chances of injury in the event of an emergency. A call to an emergency services provider may also help reduce monetary loss and property damage. Emergency services providers, such as police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and similar entities, can often reach a person in need of assistance or a location of an emergency relatively quickly after receiving a call. In the meantime, emergency services providers can often guide a person in need of safety to a safe area or help them take steps to alleviate problems over the telephone, while emergency services personnel are in transit to the emergency site.
Unfortunately, a person who places an emergency call may be unable to communicate over the telephone due to an injury or other reason. There also may be information about the person placing the emergency call that may be helpful to emergency services providers. This information may be known by relatives, friends, or others familiar with the person placing the emergency call. There may also be other parties, such as friends or relatives, that a person who places an emergency call may wish to contact in the event of an emergency. However, the situation may not allow the person time to contact anyone other than an emergency services provider, or the person may be unable to do so.